And surprises, they come.

by Caroline

I still live in the Delta. (Surprise!) I remembered while driving to Monticello, experiencing the need for brights on cars. Where I grew up and went to school, there wasn’t a huge need for brights. Arkansas nighttime highways are quite dangerous without them.

I have been sick the past few days. I feel I am using it as a not-so-excellent excuse to take naps. I’m sick, yes, but not sick enough to complain or legitimately look bad. Just enough for it to be annoying. I want to write “September is just another month to get through” which is how I feel right now, and I did in fact write it, but I find that unfair. Not the best mindset. Not an excellent way to get through the next three weeks.

September is a month of opportunity.

Many wonderful things will happen before September is over.

In October I will be more prepared, more confident, and more adjusted to my new home.

I’m anxious and sad because my mother died a year ago and my sister is in the hospital and I have a tiny sinus infection, but I relunctatntly share this with the internets. Please do not respond in a way that includes pity or anything that causes discomfort. It is unfortunate, these things, but they are happening on purpose. I am given innumerable choices daily. To mope, or to pick up your chin. To ask for help from those that are all to glad to give it, or to admit weakness to those that will help you dig deeper. To get ahead in grading papers or to update a blog. Every day the universe gives me these things to decide.

Cindy sent a nice note, sister sent a wonderful package pre-sickness, and I am going to finish grading these diagnostics then go to bed.

Also, Shoshana gave me the most wonderful compliment about this blog. Something very loosely close to: “I always read your blog, and I am almost offended when I remember it is not a personal letter to me. Like, what? Other people get to read this? Caroline talks like this to everyone?” I am glad people can feel so close through these entries.

Oh! Teaching! Right. I had to publish this then go back and edit because I managed to write an entry without the point of my existence right now: the kids. I gave a test on Friday over the first two or three weeks of class. Part of it was to write a paragraph about what s/he would do if s/he was in charge at school for a day. My favorite response was a nice surprise:

IN MY Language Teaching Life!

If I was in charge I would be nice like Ms. Lampinen, Dress pretty like Ms. Lampinen, and have my hair like Ms. Lampinen I would be a good Language teacher once I know how to become a Language teacher. It will be so fun bening a Language I will be helping other students who don’t know Language and must Learn